Fishing in general, and ice fishing in particular, has undergone a tremendous increase in popularity in recent times. As is well known to ice fisherman, it is often difficult to reach an ideal spot for setting up. Some spots are so remote as to be several miles from shore. If the ice fisherman is required to carry a heavy and bulky enclosure as well as all of his equipment, he may even be required to travel by motor vehicle. Accordingly, it has been proposed that only when the ice is strong enough to support such a motor vehicle can the more remote spots be reached.
Accordingly, the design of ice fishing enclosures has accounted for this demand, see, for example, the enclosures disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,173,436 and 4,438,940. While such devices are successful in the objects of providing an enclosure that is easily transported, they do not account for the situation where the ice fisherman merely needs to have a convenient means of transporting his equipment and having a comfortable seat. This situation is encountered when the weather is not so inclement, or the spot is so remote that an enclosure either is not needed or is simply more trouble than it is worth.
Still further, such known shelters may be expensive and still may not provide a convenient, easy-to-use means for supporting the actual fishing equipment, such as the reels and the like.
Still further, once set up, the device should be easily knocked down since collapsing the device is often done at the end of the fishing and is an otherwise onerous task.
Accordingly, there is need for a device that adds flexibility to the known devices, such as the collapsible enclosures presently available, while also being easy and inexpensive to use. Objects
It is a main object of the present invention to provide an ice fishing device that is easily transported, erected and collapsed while still providing for the fisherman's comfort.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an ice fishing device that can be used in conjunction with an ice fishing enclosure.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an ice fishing device that is easily manufactured.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an ice fishing device that is easily stored, and makes storage of ice fishing equipment easy and convenient.